Admiringly harmonious and relaxed is the vibe that holds our hand through the journey of this 14-track album. David Lockwood's emotive and sensational vocals and lyrics create an indivisible affection towards this album for the listener. Supporting, complementary background vocals and harmonies form a wide spectrum of diversely textured voices. The composition is intended towards doing justice to the lyrics by encouraging their depth and purpose beyond the music. An absolutely beautiful piano rendition plays keys that travel through many tunes, variations, ranges and chords. Tracks have a sustained warmth and bright tone that softly blends with the guitars, strengthening the structure of the songs.Clean and colourful guitar tones shine throughout the album with its rich and fine-tuned performance. Excellence exists in the deft way that these compositions use spaces, complemented with instruments trailing off, allowing each song time to breathe and the listener to reflect. Smooth and firm bass, drums and percussion bring out a dynamic jazz accent through their tone and rhythmic patterns. Crafty and complex chord progressions are non-distracting and accentuate the sentimental aspect of each song. This album honours artists' thoughts through its heart-touching music and lyricism.
Definitely listen to 'The Rest Is History' by David Lockwood on Spotify.
Recorded “live in the studio” at Dreamland Recording September 27-30 of 2021 with top-flight musicians Kevin Barry (Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn, Peter Wolf) on guitar, Zev Katz (Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Elton John) on bass, Chris Marshak (Steve Winwood, Amy Helm, Lucy Kaplansky) on drums with Erica Leigh and Clare Maloney on backing vocals. The songs reflect on memory, mortality, and the many forms love takes.
About David Lockwood:
"I was born in '51. My mom said I was picking out tunes on the piano when I was three or so, but I don't remember that. She had a flair for storytelling and tended to mythologize my childhood. I do remember figuring out 'My Country 'Tis of Thee' on the harmonica when I was five or so. It seemed like magic. And even after all these years of playing, writing, and recording, the creation of music still seems like magic."
After high school and knocking around in New York City and DC in the 1970s, Lockwood enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated in 1980. "I wrote and recorded a bunch of songs while I was at Berklee, sent out demos to publishers, got some songs signed, got some rejections. One of my favourite lines was 'You write interesting songs. That's a liability in this business.'"
In the 1980s and early '90s, he wrote "interesting" songs for, and performed as, Little Davey and the Aberrations, and recorded three albums of original pieces for solo piano: Music From a Fall Afternoon, Diamonds in the Snow, and Blue Distance. "I recently retrieved the last two and converted to digital. I think they've held up pretty well, all things considered." He also wrote music and lyrics for two decidedly offbeat musicals: Awesome at the Academy and A Rash Act. A third musical, Free 2 Ride, followed in 2007.
Lockwood joined the New Hampshire band Straight No Chaser in the late 80's and wrote most of the material for their well-received debut album Raccoon Beach, released in 1992. "We had some quality gigs in support of that album: Newport Jazz Festival in Saratoga Springs, the Blue Note in New York, White Mountain Jazz and Blues, and a bunch of others."
In 1995, Lockwood had the opportunity to spend two weeks with his songwriting hero Randy Newman as he was beginning to write the score for Toy Story while recording vocals for his album, Faust. "He was so generous and even more wickedly funny than I thought possible. He was also very direct. When I told him I'd been struggling to write lyrics, his response was 'You got anything to say?'"
Well, yes. Lockwood had and still has something to say. Through the 1990s, the aughts, and into the present, he has continued to write, record, and perform in and around New England while also serving as the celebrated music director, baseball coach, and Dean of Pranks for Holderness School in Plymouth, NH."